William Hoehn appears via a video monitor Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in East Central District Court in Fargo, N.D., for an appearance in connection with the disappearance and death of a pregnant womenMichael Vosburg/The Forum via AP

Horrific 'womb raider' accused cracked own baby's skull

THE man charged along with his girlfriend in the horrific "womb raider" murder in North Dakota was himself found guilty of fracturing his own baby son's skull five years ago.

According to North Dakota broadcast media WDAZ8, William Hoehn pleaded guilty in 2012 to child neglect or abuse for cracking his infant son's skull.

Hoehn and his girlfriend Brooke Lynn Crews were charged this week with conspiracy to murder of eight months pregnant Savanna Lafontaine Greywind and other charges.

Ms Greywind's body was found wrapped in plastic in the Red River, Minnesota on Sunday.

It was eight days since she had visited Hoehn and Crews' upstairs apartment in Fargo, North Dakota on the pretext of helping Crews with a dress fitting.

Police later allegedly found a two-day old baby in the flat of the couple who had told Ms Greywind's mother the girl had left the premises voluntarily.

In 2012, WDAZ8 reported that Hoehn, then aged 25, was charged with child neglect or abuse after he brought his son to hospital in January 2011 with fractures near the right ear.

Authorities ruled out accident or a medical condition as the cause of the injuries, which were not expected to have long-term health consequences for the infant.

William Hoehn and Brooke Lynn Crews (right) are charged with conspiracy to murder Savanna Greywind after she visited their flat. Picture: Fargo Police Department.Source:Supplied

Hoehn was due to go to trial for a charge with carried a maximum of 10 years in prison plus a $10,000 fine.

But he pleaded guilty and was ordered to attend co-operative parenting classes and obtain a domestic violence evaluation.

Hoehn was not allowed to see his son because of a "no contact" order

On his Facebook page, William Hoehn says he is from Moorhead Minnesota, which is a seven-minute drive from Fargo across the Red River.

Hoehn and Brooke Lynn Crews, 38, are in custody over the Fargo murder conspiracy, but no details have yet emerged on how Savannah Greywind died.

A two day old infant was found in Crews and Hoehn’s flat after Savanna Greywind disappeared while eight months pregnant.Source:Supplied

Her body was found on Sunday evening by kayakers in the Red River, which borders North Dakota and Minnesota, "heavily wrapped in plastic and duct tape" and stuck on a tree in the water.

A criminal complaint says Crews told police she arranged to have Greywind come to her apartment on August 19, the day Greywind was last seen alive, and told her how to self-induce birth by breaking her own water.

Crews allegedly told police that Greywind left, but came back two days later to give her the newborn baby.

But Crews' boyfriend, William Hoehn, told police that he came home on August 19 to find Crews cleaning up blood in their bathroom.

Hoehn alleged Crews presented him with an infant baby girl and said: "This is our baby, this is our family."

Ms Greywind's body was to be examined by forensic officers to determine a cause of death.

Crews and Hoehn are charged with conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and giving false information.